Daniela Paz Peterson

Daniela Paz Peterson is Welcome Places Director with The Trust for Public Land in Tennessee, where she leads inclusive engagement processes that center residents in the design and programming of public spaces. Trained as a social worker at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile, she also holds advanced studies in Childhood and Public Policy with a focus on children’s rights from the Universidad de Chile. Daniela has worked across South America and the U.S. on community development, women’s rights, and social cohesion, and has led initiatives such as Park Listeners and Walk With Your Neighbor, blending local storytelling and national strategy to create parks that foster belonging and strengthen civic life.